EUROPEAN WEEKFOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK

STOP THAT NOISE!

NOMINATION FOR GOOD PRACTICE AWARDS:

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. –

BICAZ BRANCHBICAZ BRANCH

TOPICS:

Application for nomination

Carpatcement Holding S.A. – Bicaz Branch

Brief History

Integrated Management System Certificates

Quality – Environment – Occupational Health & Safety

Changing the method of exploiting the rocks from the deposit

Investments achieved in the quarry

Purchase of non-electrical initiation systems

Monitoring the health condition of the employees

Individual Protection Outfit

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING SA - BICAZ BRANCHMain activity: Cement ManufacturingWorkplace: Operating Stages – Raw Materials QuarriesRisk factor: Noise The reduction of noise exposure for the workers in the quarries of raw materials necessary for cement manufacturing was done by:

High-performance management, with the involvement of the workers:

• Certifying and keeping the Integrated Management System for Quality-Environment-Occupational Health and Safety according to ISO 9001/2000, ISO 14001/1996 and OHSAS 18001/2004:

Identification of dangers, risk assessment and control, Communication, awareness and training, Management Program for Occupational Health and Safety;

• Changing the exploitation method by replacing the massive explosionsin blast chambers with explosions in drilling machine holes:

decreasing the number of secondary explosions by 50%, decreasing the workers’ exposure time to the noise

of the drilling - blasting noise by 75%;

• Achieving investments by purchasing high-performancetechnical equipment: drilling machines and perforators;

• Compliance with the technical development, by using the non-electrical initiation systems (NONEL type) at blasting works:

decreasing the noise level of explosions.

• Monitoring the health condition of the workers occupationally exposed to noise, by performing preventive audiometer check-ups:

no occupational disease due to noise exposure was found.

• Providing individual protection outfit of highest quality: “Professional ear-plug headsets: SNR 26 dB”.

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – Bicaz Branch

Brief History (1)

1975: in Taşca there starts the construction ofa modern cement plant, as an extension to Bicaz Cement Plant commissioned in 1952. Output: 1.9 mil. tons of cement equivalent/year,

obtained by dry method.

1979: the Cement Plant in Taşca starts production by commissioning a manufacturing line of 3000 t clinker/day.

1980: a second manufacturing line, with an output of 3000 t clinker/day, is commissioned. The Binders and Asbestoscement Complex Bicaz

(which was the name of the company back then) becomes the largest cement producer in the country at that date.

14 May 1998:

Moldocim S.A. Bicaz becomes member of HeidelbergCement Group,through the purchase of the majority stock.

An extensive investment program is startedaiming at:

productivity increase

product quality enhancement

modernization of the entire manufacturing flow

improvement of the environment quality

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – Bicaz Branch

Brief History (2)

Since 2003, the company has certified the Integrated Management Systemfor Quality – Environment – Occupational Health and Safety according to ISO 9001:2000; ISO 14001:1996 and OHSAS 18001:1999 (2004 ASRO).

INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATES

CHANGING THE METHOD OF EXPLOITING THE ROCKS FROM THE DEPOSIT

The EXPLOITATION of the rocks from the depositis done by: Primary blast with blast chambers:

2005 – the last year to use this method.

Primary blast with drilling machine holes: 2000 – the year this method started to be used.

ADVANTAGES of primary blasts in drilling machine holes: Elimination of underground work dangers; Decreasing vibrations and noise by:

reducing the explosive load / blasting, reducing by 50% the number of secondary blasts for breaking the oversized

rocks.

Improvement of the safety conditions upon the handling of explosive materials;

Decreasing, by 75%, the workers’ exposure time to the noise of drilling – blasting operations.

INVESTMENTS ACHIEVED IN THE QUARRY

HBM 60 (HAUSHERR) DRILLING MACHINE

Workplace

Measurement of noise level

Acoustic level

measured db(A)

Acoustic level

continuous equivalent /

week calculated

db(A)

Acoustic level

continuous equivalent admitted

db(A)

in the cage 65 65 87

outside 84 80 87

PURCHASE OF NON-ELECTRICAL INITIATION SYSTEMS

While performing the blasting works, in order to obtain efficient results and for lower and lower risk factors, the selection of priming means holds a decissive importance.

DETONATING FUSE

NONEL INITIATION SYSTEM

Total reduction

of the disturbing effect

of the overpressure

in the air wave shock front

MONITORING THE HEALTH CONDITIONOF THE EMPLOYEES

The Labour Medicine Medical Center provides the following:

Identification and assessement of the occupational disease risks; Medical examination upon hiring:

Reference audiograms, Ear health examination.

Recurrent medical examination: Annual audiogram + ear health examination, Annual psychological examination.

Sanitary education: to wear the protection outfit, to comply with the auditive break

(5 - 10 min. in intervals of 1 hour, in places free from noise).

INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION OUTFIT - IPO

IPO corresponds to the type and

duration of the noise and complies

with the individul protection outfit

used;

Upon selection of the auditive

individual protection outfit for

purchasing purposes, the workers

have been consulted regarding their

comfort during utilization;

Training the workers for their

awareness of the reasons for which

wearing the IPO is mandatory includes

also the instructions for the utilization,

storage and maintenance thereof.

Reusable, tied, internal

ear-plugs

Professional ear-plug headset

Average attenuation obtained (SNR)

25 db 26 db

Level of noise at the workplace

80 db 80 db

Value of noise at the person’s ear

55 db 54 db